A vacuum cleaner generally draws in dust-laden air from a surface being cleaned, separates the dust from the air, and collects the separated dust, using a suction force generated in the vacuum cleaner. Conventional vacuum cleaners include a brush assembly positioned opposite the surface being cleaned. The brush assembly strikes the surface being cleaned to dissipate dust on the surface into the air so that dust-laden air can be drawn into the vacuum cleaner via a suction force.
The brush assembly often includes a rotating brush having bristles protruding from the periphery thereof. The brush removes dust from the surface being cleaned by causing the bristles to strike the surface.
The intensity of the contact of the brush on a surface, such as a wooden floor, is more powerful than on an uneven surface, such as a carpeted floor. The brush cannot satisfactorily remove hair and other long materials from a carpet, which reduces the efficiency of the vacuum cleaner.